Gas-liquid processing apparatus

ABSTRACT

The present invention is to provide a gas-liquid processing apparatus having a high contact efficiency of a gas and a liquid and a high reaction efficiency at a low production cost. A static type fluid mixer, includes a passage pipe for the passage of a fluid and a spiral blade body arranged in the passage pipe with the longitudinal direction substantially perpendicularly but being absent in the center portion of the passage pipe. A liquid and a gas are supplied into the static type fluid mixer and a fluid is returned from the bottom portion of the static type fluid mixer to the upper portion via the pipe for the fluid circulation. The fluid is maintained in the static type fluid mixer at a pressured state higher than the atmospheric pressure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a gas-liquid processing apparatus usinga static fluid mixer (motionless fluid mixer) applicable for thesubstance transfer from a gas to a liquid, such as the gas absorptionand the gas dissolution, the substance transfer from a liquid to a gas,such as the diffusion, the gas phase reaction with a substance to beprocessed in a liquid, such as the aeration and the incubation, thechemical reaction with a gas and a liquid, such as halogenation,hydrogenation, oxidation and sulfidization, and the three phase reactionof gas-liquid-solid, such as a bioreactor and a bioreacting apparatus.

2. Description of the Related Art

In the food industry, carbon dioxide is absorbed in water in theproduction process of refreshing beverages such as a carbonated water.In the petrochemical industry, a liquid and a gas are contacted in anoxidization reaction apparatus, a hydrogenation reaction apparatus, or agas diluted water manufacturing apparatus. In the paper and pulpindustry, a liquid and a sulfidized water are contacted for theabsorption reaction of a sulfidized water. A contact process of a gasand a liquid is necessary also for environmental apparatus such as adeep aeration apparatus, a chlorine pasteurization apparatus of water,an exhaust gas processing apparatus, a purification apparatus forindustrial waste water, water supply or sewage, a processing apparatusof industrial waste water with ozone gas, water supply or sewage, and anaerator. Furthermore, in the fishery industry, air is mixed in water bycontacting air with water for charging oxygen in a pisciculture pond.

The gas-liquid processing apparatus is used particularly in a purifyingapparatus for eliminating an organo-chloric compound such as1-1-1-trichloroethane, trichloroethylene, and tetrachloroethylene from awaste liquid, a hazardous substance eliminating apparatus foreliminating a substance such as chlorine, trihalomethane and fumic acidfrom tap water or well water, a pasteurization apparatus forsterilization or pasteurization of dissolution and enrichment of oxygengas, ozone, chlorine dioxide or chlorine gas in raw water, and abioreactor where aerobic bacteria are used.

A conventional gas-liquid processing apparatus (a gas-liquid contactingapparatus) utilizing a static type fluid mixer, comprising a spiralblade body in a passage pipe and a plurality of fluid passage forpassing a fluid in the pipe axis direction, arranged perpendicularly,for supplying liquid from a position higher than the fluid mixer by thehydrostatic pressure difference, and further, a gas can pass in thefluid mixer (Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 5-96144) isknown.

However, since the liquid is supplied from the upper direction withrespect to the liquid mixer by the hydrostatic pressure difference intothe fluid mixer in the conventional gas-liquid processing apparatus,although the production cost and the running cost can be low for notrequiring a motive power, it has the disadvantage of having a lowgas-liquid contacting efficiency.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a gas-liquidprocessing apparatus with a high contacting efficiency between a gas anda liquid and a high reaction rate and a high mixing efficiency at a lowproduction cost.

A first aspect of a gas-liquid processing apparatus according to thepresent invention comprises one or a plurality of static type fluidmixer arranged substantially perpendicularly in the longitudinaldirection, a liquid supplying means for supplying a liquid in thepassage pipe, and a gas supplying means for supplying a gas in thepassage pipe, wherein a fluid consisted of said liquid and said gas isin the pressured state higher than the atmospheric pressure in thestatic type fluid mixer.

A second aspect of a gas-liquid processing apparatus of the presentinvention comprises a plurality of static type fluid mixers arrangedparallel to each other and substantially perpendicularly in thelongitudinal direction, a container for keeping a fluid and arrangingthe static type fluid mixers so as to be soaked at least partially inthe fluid, partition members for partitioning the inside of thecontainer for each of the static type fluid mixers so as to allowpassage of a liquid but not allow passage of a gas, and pipes forconnecting the gas space of each room of the container partitioned bythe partition members and a gas introducing portion of an adjacentstatic type fluid mixer, wherein the fluid is in the pressured statehigher than the atmospheric pressure in the static type fluid mixers.

Furthermore, it is preferable that a circulating means for returning thefluid from the bottom portion of the static type fluid mixer to theupper portion thereof for circulating the fluid is further provided inthe first and second aspects of the present invention.

It is also preferable that the static type fluid mixer comprises apassage pipe for the passage of a fluid and a spiral blade body arrangedin the passage pipe. An opening is formed in the spiral blade body atthe center portion of the passage pipe.

In the first aspect of the present invention, a liquid and a gas aremixed and contacted for generating a certain reaction, a gas absorptionor a dissolution while passing through the fluid mixer. In this case,the fluid is maintained in a pressured state in the static type fluidmixer. Preferably, the liquid and the gas are circulated and supplied inthe static type fluid mixer. Accordingly, in the present invention, afluid is maintained in a pressurized state higher than the atmosphericpressure, and preferably circulated and supplied into the static typefluid mixer. Therefore, a gas and liquid are contacted and mixed with ahigh efficiency. Moreover, since no motive power is not used forstirring the gas and the liquid, it has the advantage of having a lowproduction cost.

In the second aspect of the present invention, a plurality of the statictype fluid mixers are arranged parallel to each other and the containeris partitioned by the partition members so that a liquid can move freelyamong the rooms but a gas cannot move freely. Then the gas is introducedto the gas introducing portion of an adjacent static type fluid mixer bythe pipe. Then, the gas passes through the static type fluid mixer ofeach room successively and contacts with the liquid. Accordingly, thegas and the liquid are introduced into the static type fluid mixerarranged at an end of the container so that a mixed fluid in thecontainer is discharged from the room on the other end of the container.Similarly, a fluid is mixed in a pressured state in the static typefluid mixer as well as since the contacting length of a gas and a liquidis long in the second aspect, the contacting efficiency of the liquidand the gas is extremely high. By circulating and supplying a fluid inthe static type fluid mixer in each room, the contacting efficiency of aliquid and a gas can be further higher.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a 90° rotation type mixing element;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a 90° rotation type mixing element;

FIG. 4 is a side view of a static type fluid mixer utilizing the mixingelement;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a second embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a third embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a fourth embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a fifth embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a sixth embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a seventh embodiment of the presentinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter embodiments of the present invention will be explainedconcretely with reference to the accompanied drawings. FIG. 1 is aschematic diagram of the first embodiment of the present invention.FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views of a mixing element. FIG. 4 is aside view of a static type fluid mixer utilizing the mixing element. Asshown in FIG. 2 to 4, each of mixing elements 1 and 8 of a static typefluid mixer 30 used in this embodiment comprises a cylindrical passagepipe 2 or 9, and spiral blade bodies 3, 4 or 10, 11 arranged in thepassage pipe 2 or 9. The blade bodies 3, 4 and 10, 11 are twistedclockwise (i.e. a right-handed rotation) or counterclockwise (i.e. aleft-handed rotation) by 90°, respectively so as to form fluid passages5, 6 or 12, 13. The blade bodies 3, 4, or 10, 11 do not exist on theaxis of the passage pipe 2 or 9. Accordingly, an opening portion 7 or 14is formed on the axis of the passage pipe 2, 9 when viewedtwo-dimensionally. Therefore, the fluid passages 5, 6 and the fluidpassages 12, 13 communicate with each other via the opening portions 7and 14 through the entire length of the passage pipes 2 and 9.

The static type fluid mixer 30 can be assembled by fitting the mixingelements 1 and 8 in a cylindrical casing 15 alternately so as to havethe edges of the blade bodies 3, 4 and 10, 11 of the mixing elements 1and 8 orthogonal to each other.

While two kinds of fluids FA, FB pass through the fluid passages of thestatic type fluid mixer 30 of the above-mentioned configuration, part ofthe fluid rotates spirally by 90° to be partially sheared at the openingportion, joins the fluid passed through the other fluid passage and isfurther divided, and rotates spirally by 90° to the other direction.While repeating the rotation, shearing, confluence, and division asmentioned above, the fluids can be mixed. In the static type fluid mixer30, 180° rotation type blade bodies can be used in place of the 90°rotation type blade bodies of this embodiment.

In this embodiment, the static type fluid mixer 30 of theabove-mentioned configuration is placed vertically with respect to itslongitudinal direction in a sealed processing container 31, as shown inFIG. 1. In this case, an introducing portion 31a is provided at theupper part of the container 31 as a space for introducing a gas and aliquid, and a storage portion 31b is provided at the lower part of thecontainer 31 for storing a liquid.

A pipe 32, connected with a liquid supply, is connected with theintroducing portion 31a at the upper part of the container 31. A flowregulating valve 34 is provided in the pipe 32. A pipe 33 connected witha gas supply is connected with the introducing portion 31a. A flowregulating valve 35 is provided in the pipe 33. A liquid and a gas issupplied into the container 31 with pressure from the liquid supply andthe gas supply. A spray nozzle 37 is provided in the introducing portion31a at the upper part of the container 31 for jetting the liquid.

On the other hand, a pipe 36 is connected with the storage portion 31bat the lower part of the container 31 for discharging the liquid storedat the lower part of the container to outside the container via the pipe36. The pipe 36 is connected with the spray nozzle 37 at the upper partof the container so that the liquid discharged from the bottom portionof the container is supplied to the spray nozzle 37 at the upper part ofthe container via the pipe 36 to be jetted toward the inside of thecontainer 31 via the nozzle 37. Accordingly, the liquid in the container31 is returned into the container 31 via the pipe 36 to be circulatedand supplied to the static type fluid mixer 30 in the container 31. Apump 38 is provided in the pipe 36, and furthermore, a flow regulatingvalve 39 is provided therein. A pipe 40 branches out from the pipe 36 atthe upstream side thereof with respect to the flow regulating valve 39.A switching valve 41 is provided in the pipe 40.

Operation of the gas-liquid processing apparatus of the above-mentionedconfiguration will now be explained. With the valve 41 closed, and thevalve 39 opened, the valves 34 and 35 are opened at a predeterminedangle for supplying the liquid and the gas into the container 31 via thepipes 32 and 33 at a predetermined rate with pressure. Then the liquidand the gas are stirred and mixed in the static type fluid mixer 30 sothat the gas is dissolved in the liquid to be aerated or reacted bysufficiently contacting the gas and the liquid.

The mixture fluid stored in the container 31 is supplied to the spraynozzle 37 at the upper part of the container 31 by the pump 38 to bejetted into the container 31 by the spray nozzle 37. Then a liquid and agas supplied from the pipes 32 and 33, and the mixture fluid from thespray nozzle 37 are mixed while passing through the static type fluidmixer 30. After applying pressure to the gas and the liquid in thecontainer 31 until the pressure becomes higher than atmosphericpressure, the valves 34 and 35 are closed to seal the mixture fluid ofthe liquid and the gas in the container 31. The fluid passing throughthe static type fluid mixer 30 in the container 31 circulates in thestatic type fluid mixer 30 in a pressured state. Accordingly, the liquidand the gas sufficiently contacts so that the gas is dissolved in theliquid, aerated or reacted.

Afterwards, the fluid after the mixing and contacting processing isdischarged from the container 31 via the pipe 40 by closing the valve 39and opening the valve 41.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the second embodiment of the presentinvention. In a container 42, a plurality of the static type fluidmixers 30 are interlocked via cylindrical spacers 43 having the samediameter size as the casing of the static type fluid mixers. A gap isformed between the container and the static type fluid mixers 30 or thespacers 43 for the passage of a fluid. That is, the container 42, thestatic type fluid mixers 30 and the spacers 43 have a double-pipestructure. The spacers 43 are provided with holes 43a for the passage ofa fluid so that a fluid can flow into the spacers 43 from the gap viathe holes 43a. A mixture fluid of the gas and the liquid is stored atthe bottom portion of the container 42 and the mixture fluid is returnedto the spray nozzle 37 at the upper part of the container via the pump38.

In the gas-liquid processing apparatus of the above-mentionedconfiguration, a liquid is jetted from the spray nozzle 37 into theuppermost static type fluid mixer 30 to be mixed with a gas introducedfrom the top of the container to the inside of the container, contacted,and processed. The mixture fluid is also mixed with a gas introduced viathe holes 43a at the spacers 43 to be introduced further into the lowerstatic type fluid mixer 30.

In this embodiment, the contacting processing of a gas and a liquid isconducted in a pressured state higher than the atmospheric pressure, andthus the contacting efficiency is extremely high. Further, since a fluidis circulated and supplied in the static type fluid mixers 30, thedissolution of the gas or the reaction between the gas and the liquidcan sufficiently proceed.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the third embodiment of the presentinvention. A liquid is supplied in a container 50 to be stored. Thestatic type fluid mixer 30 is arranged with the lower half thereofsoaked in the liquid in the container 50 with the fluid passingdirection vertically. An introducing portion 51 is provided at the upperpart of the static type fluid mixer 30 for introducing a gas into thestatic type fluid mixer 30, and the spray nozzle 37 is provided in theintroducing portion 51 for circulating and supplying a liquid. The outerperiphery of the static type fluid mixer 50 of the portion soaked in thefluid in the container 50 is fitted with spiral blade bodies so that thestatic type fluid mixer 53 is formed by the spiral blade bodies.

In the gas-liquid processing apparatus of the above-mentionedconfiguration, a liquid is supplied in the container 50, and the liquidis pumped up into the introducing portion 51 by the pump 38. The liquidis jetted inside the introducing portion 51 via the spray nozzle 37 soas to be supplied with pressure into the static type fluid mixer 30 withthe air supplied to the introducing portion 51. The liquid and the gasare mixed while passing through the static type fluid mixer 30 downward.The mixture fluid enters the container 50 from the lower end of thestatic type fluid mixer 30 and is further mixed while passing throughthe static type fluid mixer 53 in the rising process. In thisembodiment, since the pressure supplied to the introducing portion 51 ofthe gas is adjusted so that the surface of the fluid in the container 50is always above the lower end of the static type fluid mixer 30, thefluid is applied with a pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure ata position lower than the fluid surface in the static type fluid mixer30. Accordingly, a fluid is mixed with a high efficiency in thisembodiment.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of the fourth embodiment of the presentinvention. The static type fluid mixer 30 is arranged in a container 60.An introducing portion 62 is provided at the upper part of the statictype fluid mixer 30. The lower part of the introducing portion 62 andthe static type fluid mixer 30 are surrounded by a container 61. Thecontainer 61 is arranged in the container 60 between the container 60and the static type fluid mixer 30. A plurality of the holes 63 areprovided in the container 61 so that the fluid in the container 61 isdischarged to the outside via the holes 63. On the other hand, thesupply pressure of a liquid and a gas is selected so that the fluidsurface in the container 60 is always above the static type fluid mixer30.

In the gas-liquid processing apparatus of the above-mentionedconfiguration, a liquid and a fluid are always supplied to theintroducing portion 62, mixed by the static type fluid mixer 30 anddischarged into the container 61. Furthermore, the fluid is dischargedinto the container 60 via the holes 63, and again supplied into theintroducing portion 62 from the spray nozzle 37 at the upper part of thestatic type fluid mixer 30 by the pump 38. Accordingly, the fluid iscirculated and supplied to the static type fluid mixer 30. Since thestatic type fluid mixer 30 is below the fluid surface in the containers60, 61, the fluid in the static type fluid mixer 30 is applied with thepressure based on the hydrostatic pressure difference. Therefore, thegas and liquid contacting efficiency of a fluid is high.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of the fifth embodiment of the presentinvention. The fifth embodiment is another embodiment of the secondembodiment, wherein a plurality of the gas-liquid processing apparatusof the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 are provided parallel. Threestatic type fluid mixers 30 are arranged in the sealed container 70 withthe lower part inserted. A fluid is stored in the container 70.Partitioning members 71 comprising partition plates, standing from thebottom plate of the container to a position lower than the fluidsurface, and partition plates, hanged from the upper plate of thecontainer to deeper than the fluid surface, are arranged between thestatic type fluid mixers. An introducing portion 31 of a gas is providedat the upper part of the static type fluid mixer 30. A pipe 32 forintroducing a liquid into the introducing portion 31 and a pipe 33 forintroducing a gas into the introducing portion 31 from the outside areconnected with the introducing portion 31 of the static type fluid mixer30 arranged at one end of the container 70. A discharging pipe 73 fordischarging a gas and a discharging pipe 74 for discharging a liquid areconnected to the room having the static type fluid mixer 30 on theopposite end of the container 70. In each room partitioned by thepartitioning members 71, a fluid is supplied to the spray nozzle 37provided at the introducing portion 31 of the static type fluid mixer 30of each room by the pump 38 via the pipe 36 so as to be circulated andsupplied into the static type fluid mixer 30.

In the gas-liquid processing apparatus of the above-mentionedconfiguration, a liquid and a gas are introduced into the introducingportion 31 of the static type fluid mixer 30 on the left end of thedrawing via the pipes 32, 33. The liquid and the gas are mixed in thestatic type fluid mixer 30 and discharged into the container 70. Thepressure of the liquid and the gas introduced via the pipes 32, 33 isdetermined so that the fluid surface in the container 70 is positionedat a comparatively high position in the container 70 as shown in thedrawing for the static type fluid mixer 30 sufficiently soaked in thefluid.

In the container 70, a liquid flows to an adjacent room beyond thepartitioning members 71, but a gas in each room is supplied from theupper space of the room to the introducing portion 31 of the static typefluid mixer 30 of an adjacent room via a pipe 75. In each room, a liquidis circulated and supplied to the static type fluid mixer 30 via a pipe36 by the pump 38.

The gas processed by sufficiently contacting with the liquid isdischarged from the container 70 via the pipe 73, and the liquid isdischarged via the pipe 74. In this embodiment, a liquid and a gas aremixed and contacted in each static type fluid mixer, and a gas movesinto the static type fluid mixers successively so as to contact with theliquid in each room. Accordingly, the contacting efficiency between agas and a liquid is extremely high.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of the sixth embodiment of the presentinvention. In the sixth embodiment, a pipe 81 for discharging the gas inthe storage portion 31b is connected to the storage portion 31b of thecontainer 31. Also, a valve 82 is provided in the pipe 81. The remainingconstruction is same as the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

Operation of the gas-liquid processing apparatus of the above-mentionedconfiguration will be explained. With the valve 41 closed, and thevalves 39 and 82 opened, the valves 34 and 35 are opened at apredetermined angle for supplying the liquid and the gas into thecontainer 31 via the pipes 32 and 33 at a predetermined rate withpressure. Then the liquid and the gas are stirred and mixed in thestatic type fluid mixer 30 so that the gas is dissolved in the liquid tobe aerated or reacted by sufficiently contacting the gas and the liquid.

The mixture fluid stored in the lower part of the container 31 issupplied to the spray nozzle 37 at the upper part of the container 31 bythe pump 38 to be jetted into the container 31 by the spray nozzle 37.Then a liquid and a gas supplied from the pipes 32 and 33, and themixture fluid from the spray nozzle 37 are mixed while passing throughthe static type fluid mixer 30. After closing the valves 34 and 82 andapplying pressure to the gas and the liquid in the container 31 untilthe pressure becomes higher than the atmospheric pressure thorough thepipe 33, the valve 35 is closed to seal the mixture fluid of the liquidand the gas in the container 31. The fluid passing through the statictype fluid mixer 30 in the container 31 circulates in the static typefluid mixer 30 in a pressurized state. Accordingly, the liquid and thegas sufficiently one another contact so that the gas is dissolved in theliquid, aerated or reacted.

Afterwards, the fluid after the mixing and contacting processing isdischarged from the container 31 via the pipe 40 by closing the valve 39and opening the valve 41.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of the seventh embodiment of the presentinvention. In the seventh embodiment, a mixture fluid of the gas and theliquid is extracted from the container 42 at the bottom 42a thereof.Other constructional features of the seventh embodiment are same as thatof the second embodiment shown in FIG. 5.

The first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the second embodiment shownin FIG. 5, the sixth embodiment shown in FIG. 9 and the seventhembodiment shown in FIG. 10 are effective as an apparatus foreliminating a nitrogen compound in an aqueous solution. They areeffective also as an apparatus for eliminating an ammonium type nitrogenin the water supply or sewage, and an apparatus for diffusing a volatilematter in waste water. Furthermore, they are advantageous also as anapparatus for injecting and adding a chlorine gas or an apparatus fordissolving an oxygen gas.

The third embodiment shown in FIG. 6 and the fourth embodiment shown inFIG. 7 can be applied as an apparatus for processing water supply,sewage, or industrial waste water with ozone. Furthermore, the fifthembodiment shown in FIG. 8 is advantageous as a continuous type aerationapparatus or a waste water processing apparatus by the activated sludgemethod. Furthermore, it is advantageous also as a water processingapparatus with an ozone gas or a waste water processing apparatus by theactivated sludge method.

As heretofore mentioned, according to the present invention, since aliquid and a gas are mixed in a pressured state in a static type fluidmixer, it is advantageous in that the contacting efficiency is high aswell as the production cost is low.

What is claimed is:
 1. A gas-liquid processing apparatus comprising:acontainer; a plurality of static fluid mixers arranged in series withinsaid container, each of which has a passage pipe for passage of a fluidand a spiral blade body arranged in the passage pipe, said fluid mixersbeing arranged in said container so as to provide an entry theretothrough a plane substantially perpendicular to an axis of the passagepipe and form a space between said container and said fluid mixers; atleast one spacer with a hole arranged between said fluid mixers, saidspacer being arranged in said container so as to form a space betweensaid fluid mixers arranged in series, said hole providing fluidcommunication between said container and said fluid mixers; a liquidsupply for supplying a liquid to said passage pipe; a gas supply devicesupplying a gas to said passage pipe; a fluid consisting of said liquidand gas upon being mixed in a pressured state higher than atmosphericpressure in said fluid mixer; and a circulating device returning saidfluid from a bottom portion of the static fluid mixers to an upperportion thereof for circulating the fluid.
 2. The gas-liquid processingapparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one of said staticfluid mixers comprises a passage pipe for the passage of the fluid and aspiral blade body arranged in the passage pipe, and opening being formedin said spiral blade body at the center portion of the passage pipe. 3.The gas-liquid processing apparatus according to claim 1, furthercomprising a tabular spacer between said static fluid mixers.
 4. Thegas-liquid processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein saidspacer has a plurality of through holes.